Fan blades require routine cleaning, particularly in industrial settings. However, some units are high off the ground, and some may be coated with unpleasant if not dangerous particulates.
To address this problem, U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,869 teaches a fan cleaning system for cleaning a fan having a guard enclosing a fan blade driven by a motor. The system comprises a shroud for enclosing the guard and the blade, the motor of the fan being mounted to the blade, but outside of said shroud, and at least one spray head within the shroud for cleaning the guard and the blade. Steam, hot water, soap and/other cleansers or solvents are supplied to the spray head by a supply line. Waste water is removed from the cleaning shroud via a drain in the bottom of the lower shroud. A pump unit removes water from the drain via a return line. The pump unit includes a filter leading to a recycling unit and return to the clean water reservoir where detergent is added. The water is then heated by a heat source and returned to the spray arm by the supply line.
Although such a system may be effective, it is complex, expensive, and subject to liquid leaks.